Relationships are not one dimensional and professional relationships are no exception. As a partner to our clients we can help with seemingly unrelated challenges. When our client relationships are hyper-focused on our own services, our conversations will miss issues that can impair our ability to maintain working progress or retain the relationship. Additionally, our help in other areas will build client trust and loyalty, and enhance the know,like and trust factors of our relationships.
In touch with the bigger goals for a long established client, I was recently asked by a team member to help her transition from specialized client service manager to a role in business development. This may seem outside of the team performance box, and as an advocate of the team, my advice may ultimately lead to an introduction for sales training.
But there was an important prerequisite to achieving the firm’s new business (sales) goal and ensuring Jane’s success in the role. Jumping into new business development activities with a great new process would not be timely. Sales is part two of the solution.
We first had to consider two critical factors; Jane’s natural approach to challenge, how she will need to execute a process for introducing herself to clients and/or prospects in a new role, and a method for transitioning her client’s perception so she can have broader conversations. This is very much in the performance arena! As individuals leverage their contribution to the company’s shared goals, they must be able to sustain their creative energy in the process or the transition will be incomplete, it will be short lived, costly and without a revenue benefit.
Getting what we want, is a matter of matching intent with one’s natural method of execution. In order to accommodate Jane’s instinctive method of operation (MO), we edited her quarterly client presentations to include business development as part of the solution. Now clients understand that their working relationship includes more than exemplary service. Next, Jane will organize individual meeting with members of client leadership teams to engage them personally and to express her interest in helping to meet their goals. At this point, Jane will be able to share her plan for adding two new clients that have similar characteristics. With Jane’s natural advantage at work she is enthusiastic about meeting her goals with greater ease and reliable results.
Converting personal power to business performance.
FIREPOWER Teams connect people to business vision.